FIX: Windows 10 Start Menu, Settings, Cortana or Taskbar not working. (Solved)

This tutorial contains instructions to fix the following issues in Windows 10: Start Menu does not open, Cortana Search not working, Settings app doesn’t launch, Taskbar icons won’t open.

Many Windows 10 users reported problems with the Start menu, Taskbar, Cortana, and Settings, so in this guide I list the most common methods to solve the above issues.

How to FIX: Windows 10 Taskbar, Start Menu, Settings or Cortana Problems.

Method 1. Uninstall Latest Windows 10 Update.

Many users have reported that the issues mentioned in this article are resolved after uninstalling KB4566782 Update.

If you cannot find the KB4566782 update in the list of the installed updates, then check and install all available updates and if the problem persists try to uninstall the latest installed update(s).

Method 2. Restart Windows 10 in Safe Mode.

1. Press the Windows + R keys to open the run command box.
2. Type msconfig and press Enter.

3. At Boot tab select the Safe Boot option, then click OK and restart your computer.

4. After restart and while in Safe Mode, check if your problems persists.
5. Then, run the ‘msconfig’ tool again and at the General tab, check the Normal startup and click OK.

6. Restart your computer.
7. After restart, check if the problem persists, otherwise continue to the next method.

Method 3. Perform a Clean Boot.

1. Run the ‘msconfig’ tool.
2. At Services tab, check the Hide all Microsoft Services checkbox and then press Disable All.

3. Then select the Startup tab and click Open Task Manager.
4.  Select one-by one all the listed programs and click Disable.

5. When done, close that window and then click OK at ‘System Configuration’ utility to Restart your computer.
6. After restart, if your computer is working fine and without problems,* then open the ‘System Configuration’ (msconfig) utility again and enable one by one all the disabled programs and restart your PC, until you find out which program causes the problem.

* Note: If the problem persists, even in Clean Boot state, then continue to the next method.

Method 4. Reinstall and Re-register all the Windows 10 Built-in Apps.

The next method to resolve problems with the Taskbar, Start menu, Cortana, etc. in Windows 10, is to reinstall and re-register all the built-in apps.

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator. To do that:

1. At Cortana‘s search box, type powershell
2. Right click on Windows PowerShell result and select Run as administrator.

3. In PowerShell Type (copy & paste) the following command & press Enter:

• Get-AppXPackage -AllUsers | Foreach {Add-AppxPackage -DisableDevelopmentMode -Register “$($_.InstallLocation)AppXManifest.xml”}

4. Wait for the command to run and ignore the errors (in red letters).
5. Restart your computer and then check if your issue is fixed.

Method 5. Create A New Account.

Another method to fix several problems in Windows 10, is to create a new account and to transfer your personal files and data to the new account. To do that:

1. Open Command Prompt As Administrator.
2. At command prompt type the following command and press Enter:

• net user account password /add

* Note: At the above command replace the fields “account” & “password“, with your choice.

e.g. if you want to create a new account with username “Admin1” and password “Admin123” then type: net user Admin1 Admin123 /add

3. Then proceed and add the new account, to the Administrators group, with this command:

• net localgroup administrators account /add

e.g. In our example the command is: net localgroup administrators Admin1 /add

4. Close command prompt Window and restart your computer.
5. After restart login with to new account.
6. Check if the problem persists. If the problem is fixed, transfer your data and files to the new account and you’re done.

Method 6. Repair Windows 10.

The final method to resolve Windows 10 problems, is to repair Windows 10 with In-Place Upgrade.

That’s all folks! Did it work for you?
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